The Ancient War
by Dosu2Dinner
Summary: The D-Team is finally reunited, but it soon becomes clear that there is a much darker side to the Ancient Family. With the added complication of a mysterious group known as the Shadow Empire, and many people around the world gaining dinosaur cards, the D-Team must form an unlikely alliance with Seth to prevent a full-scale dinosaur war from breaking out...
1. Chapter One

**Hi all. This is my first Dinosaur King fanfic. Now, an important note – as you read through this first chapter, you may think to yourself, 'What was this guy on when he wrote it?' Yes, it is rushed, I know. But I just wanted to have the format for this complicated storyline out so it would be there in black and white so I could then work from that. It is not very well revised, so I may end up re-writing it. But, I hope you can pick out several plot elements from it and will be able to enjoy it nonetheless.**

**Disclaimer – I do not own Dinosaur King. If I did, I would provide Rex with a fangirl-proof shield. **

**Prologue**

2129.

Sanjō. The city of endless possibilities.

The sun's light was just beginning to make itself known over the horizon, bathing the mightiest city in the world in its golden rays. All was still and serene, with the exception of a single figure walking along an aircraft landing strip, completely oblivious to the golden dawn, deep in thought.

Seth Yatsu felt that he had been working in the shadows for long enough; it was now time to act.

Breathing deeply, he gazed up into the sunrise, the breeze whispering through his long blue hair. It was difficult to determine which party would act first. Though if things were to go according to plan, he could have little doubt. He turned and gazed back at the enormous building he had just left. The Ancient's laboratory, the most advanced and famous lab in the world. His lip curling in distaste, he fixed his gaze back towards his personal aircraft. A single family should not hold so much technocratic power. He knew that soon, it would be abused…

"Rex Ancient," he murmured to himself. "I'm sorry for how you have been brought up. Maybe a few certain people will turn it around…"

Reaching inside his coat pocket, he pulled out two parting gifts for the Ancients: the last of the Spectral Pirates' Gel Jarks in ball form, and the original elemental stone plates. How they survived the battle with the Black Pterosaur was beyond him, but whatever happened, it was extremely fortunate…

_Now_, he thought, _we simple mortals will have a chance of fighting back._

Without another glance back, he climbed into his aircraft and took off.

* * *

**Chapter One**

2009.

Max Taylor sat up in bed, desperately trying to rub the blur of sleep out of his eyes. Seven in the morning? Who got up at seven in the morning?

Well, he did if he wanted to catch his friend before they went to school…

Slowly heaving himself out of bed, Max trudged into the bathroom and examined his reflection if the mirror. There was the faintest trace of stubble on his chin.

Looks like he would need to use the razor after all.

As he shaved, Max reflected on what his father had said – despite the fact that he had an enormous bushy beard, he had only had to start shaving when he was eighteen. Max was fourteen – if he didn't shave now, who knew what would happen to him?

Two years – it had been two years since Rex, the Alpha Gang and all the dinosaurs had departed to the future. It seemed like only yesterday, and it hurt just as much as it did then…

Max sighed. Still, there wasn't a lot he could do about it. All he could do was hope that Rex, Rod and Laura were enjoying themselves, along with their dinosaurs. Besides, he had other things he needed to work on…

Quickly returning to his room and dressing, he headed out of the front door and straight towards the Drakes' house.

To his relief, Zoe was also already dressed. Her sense of style had changed a lot from two years ago – she now wore her pink hair loose, as well as a yellow tank top and denim jeans. She still kept her sunglasses and green sneakers, but had now dropped the long stockings.

"Hey, Zoe," Max said, swallowing hard. "Umm…do you want to walk to school with me?"

"Er, no thanks," she replied, smiling in what she hoped was a reassuring way. "I was going to meet up with Amy on the way in."

Oof…that was a blow. Max literally felt as though all the wind had been knocked out of him.

"Uh…OK then," he murmured, heading off quickly, leaving Zoe quite perplexed.

* * *

"And then he just went off!" Zoe finished explaining to Amy as they walked into school. "It seemed like he was offended or something! I don't really know why…"

Amy too was very different from how she was two years ago. Her dark brown hair was longer, her style, like Zoe, was a lot more flamboyant and typical teenage-girl like, and, most notably of all, she was a far more confident and bubbly person, comparable to Zoe and Max.

"Oh, it's obvious!" she explained, beaming enthusiastically. "He wanted the two of you to take a stroll alone. And you know why?"

Zoe finally twigged into what she was saying.

"What?" she shrieked, blushing profusely. "No…no way…Max doesn't…"

Amy laughed.

"Sure he does! It's obvious! Everyone knows you two were going to go out eventually. Why not make it now?"

Zoe swallowed hard.

"I…I just hope I haven't gotten the wrong end of the stick…" she murmured. "I'll…leave it for a bit…"

Amy sighed, but nodded.

"Alright. But I'm gonna wait until it happens…and believe me, it won't be long!"

Little did she know, they were both being examined carefully.

An unremarkable man in a dark suit, half-hidden by bushes carefully took several photographs of both of them.

"_Hmm…" _he murmured to himself. _"Yes, that's definitely her. She's one of those one's who always used to show up when there was a dinosaur around. I'll have to have her tailed to find out more…"_

* * *

Back in 2129, Dr. Z placed a card on the table.

"Now this is impressive," he said. "Now that we have the stone plates back, we can finally get to work on the Space Pirates' dinosaurs!"

He gazed down happily at the card of Gigas.

"This extra-powerful Tyrannosaurus will be my key to becoming the Dinosaur King!"

"Err…but, doctor…" Ursula murmured. "You know the Ancients would never let us…"

"Who cares about them?" Dr. Z snarled. "What are they up to anyway…?"

"How do you mean?" Zander asked, confused.

"They seem to be preparing something in secret," the doctor explained. "And they have Rex in on it too…and if there's something that they're keeping from us…"

"Oh, didn't I mention?" Ed remarked casually. "Cretacia's pregnant."

There was a stunned silence.

"WHAT?" Dr. Z finally yelled. "How…?"

"Only a few weeks, I think…" Ed replied uncertainly.

Dr. Z growled in frustration.

"This spells trouble for us – last time she was pregnant, we ended up having to dispose of them!"

"Not quite…" Ursula muttered in response. "You were just being manipulated by Seth…"

"Well, what can I say? Seth's quite a charismatic one…where on earth is he anyway? He went off somewhere about a month ago, leaving behind the stones and a useless old Gel Jark, and nobody's heard from him since then…" he lapsed into a thoughtful silence.

"Well maybe he's planning to betray us all again!" Zander cried. "He wants to get the Ancients out of-"

He broke off as the door to their lab opened. Jonathon walked in.

"Pardon me, doctor," he said. "But Dr. Ancient sends his regards, and he would also like to study that Gel Jark that Seth left us."

"Uhh…yeah, sure," Dr. Z muttered, gesturing toward it. "It's useless anyway."

As Jonathon went to retrieve it, Dr. Z, suddenly called out,

"Actually, while you're here Jonathon, perhaps you can give us a little insight. What exactly are the Ancients working on so intensely?"

"It is a terraforming device?"

"Terraforming?"

"Yes. They are working with the International Cosmological Society in order to Terraform a local newly discovered planet."

"And…then what?"

"Presumably they'll go and live there," Jonathon replied, exiting the room.

There was a stunned silence.

"D'arrrhghggh!" Dr. Z suddenly howled.

"What?" the Alpha trio asked in unison.

"Don't you see?" Dr. Z hollered. "Once they move to this new planet they'll take all the dinosaurs and technology with them, they'll be left with nothing! And we rely on funds from the Ancients. Without it, we'll be without a home, and what fate will befall my poor grandkids…?" A look of worry passed across the old man's face, before he began to growl in determination.

"Seth obviously had the right idea, leaving before he gets chucked out! Well, I won't stand for this."

He picked up Gigas' card from the table and ran to the door.

"Come on, you three slugs!" he screamed. "We have to rise to the challenge!"

The three reluctantly followed.

* * *

Rod let out a deep yawn.

"Wow, all this extra homework's getting really intense…" he murmured.

"Yeah…" his sister agreed, shutting down her computer. "I don't understand why we shouldn't just do this all at school?"

"Well, maybe mum and dad want us home while Grandpa is working," Rod shrugged leaning back in his chair.

"Mm," Laura nodded. "Probably to keep an eye on him…hey, I wonder what Rex is doing?"

"He's probably helping Dr. Ancient out in the lab with that Gel Jark thing," Rod replied. "Actually…" he slid off his chair. "Let's go and see how that's going."

They headed off to the centre of the lab where Dr. Ancient was examining the Gel Jark under the intense scrutiny of an ophthalmoscope. Rex was observing nearby. When he saw Rod and Laura enter, he waved them over.

"Hi guys," he said. "How's your work going?" Rex's style had not changed much over two years, though there were still differences. He now wore a mid-blue long-sleeve shirt unbuttoned over an ordinary white T-shirt, but his large dinosaur tooth necklace still hung around his neck.

Rod sweat-dropped slightly.

"We're taking a little break…" he replied.

"That's right," Laura nodded. "So…what's going on?"

"Dad's just examining this," Rex gestured towards the Gel Jark. "It turns out the Space Pirates had a lot more advanced technology then we could previously tell."

Dr. Ancient stopped his scrutinization of the alien android and walked towards them.

"Very interesting…" he murmured. "From what I can tell, this thing is like an all-purpose action tool. But right now, it'll be no good to us as a robotic servant, considering we have Helga and Jonathon for that. And considering Seth's gone AWOL, it won't be much use to him either. But, we could use it as fuel."

"Fuel?" Rex asked. "What for?"

Dr. Ancient glanced at him.

"The Space Pirates' time machine," he said. "Once we've repaired that, we can take it back to Max and Zoe's time, and use the stones to repair the Backlander."

Rex suddenly went wide-eyed.

"You mean…?"

"Yes," Dr. Ancient nodded. "Seems this little reminder of our mortal enemies will be your key to seeing your friends again."

* * *

**And there you have it people! I hope the fast-paced nature of this fic didn't make any of you feel motion-sickness. So, where has Seth gone? Will the Ancients terra-form their planet? Will the Alpha Gang try and stop them? What has this mysterious photographer got in store for Max and Zoe? So many questions that you probably don't care about, but I hope you may have the heart to come back a read next time. *sheepish grin***

**So, R&R, and I'll see you next time!**


	2. Chapter Two

**Well, if it isn't the vanishing author! Sorry I've been keeping you in the dark for so long - writer's block? Like, severe? Anyway, I hope this makes up for your waiting, feel free to comment, make suggestions, ask questions etc, and I'll be sure to get back to you when I can. Enjoy!  
**

* * *

**Chapter Two**

Rex's hand trembled slightly as he gazed at the Wind stone plate in his hand. Could it really work?

"Go on Rex!" Rod urged, grinning broadly.

Slowly, Rex swiped the card in his hand along the stone. There was an impressive flash of blue light, and soon, on the floor, gazing up at him was a small Carnotaurus.

"Ace!" Rex was estatic. The dinosaur leapt up into his arms and the two friends embraced.

"I thought I'd never see you again like this!"

"It turns out," Rod explained, releasing Terry in his small form also. "That the copied stones were the only reason our dinosaurs got stuck in battle mode."

"So, now that we've got our hands on the originals again, we can play with them as much as we want!" Laura added, beaming, releasing Tank.

They were all in Dr. Ancient's lab, preparing for the time trip. Dr. Ancient himself was frowning at a nearby computer screen.

"What's up, dad?" Rex asked, carrying a squirming Ace over to him.

"Seth," the doctor replied simply. "I still don't have a clue where he is. Our instruments are having a lot of trouble locating him…"

He broke off as the door slid open and a man walked in.

Rex had never seen this man before, but he could tell that he was someone who demanded instant respect just by his posture. He was tall and thin, with a dark suit and dark glasses. His hair was an extremely pale blond, making it almost look like it was white. Although Rex had never seen him, his father seemed to recognise him as once, as he now went over to him.

Rod and Laura seemed to know him as well, because Laura called out,

"Hi, Professor Ancient!"

Said professor completely ignored them, and Rex found himself instantly disliking the man. He didn't care if he was a well-connected professor, and even a member of his own family. The way he swept past Rod and Laura without saying a word seemed extremely rude to him.

"Hello, Edgar," Dr. Ancient said coolly, and Rex could tell that there was some forced politeness in the way he spoke. "Rex, this is your uncle."

Edgar Ancient turned to look at Rex, and in doing so, removed his glasses, exposing his blue eyes. But unlike Rex's or his mother's, these eyes had no warmth, and reminded you of chips of ice.

Then he spoke for the first time. Rex found his accent arrogantly and irritably upper-class.

"Well," he said. "I'm glad to see my nephew has followed a suitable path." He turned back to Dr. Ancient.

Suitable path? What on earth did he mean by that?

"I've come to report, brother," Edgar continued. "That our space program nears completion. Within about a week, we shall be ready to begin the terraforming process. Then, after a few months, it will be ready to be colonized. I hope you are prepared?"

"We are preparing," Dr. Ancient replied. "But right now, we have another operation underway. We will complete that first, if you don't mind."

Edgar took a step forward, his icy eyes now flashing with impatience.

"You misunderstand me. I need your personal investment for the biofuel. Now! Or else…"

Fury welled up in Rex like he hadn't felt for a long time. He was half tempted to summon Ace and have him teach his bastard of an uncle a lesson, but a warning look from his father stopped him.

"Jonathon has got our cheque," he said quietly. "Go and retrieve that."

Edgar surveyed him coldly for a moment before nodding.

"OK," he said. "I shall."

He began to walk away, but then, a thought occurring to him, he turned back.

"I must also advise you brother," he said. "Before this operation is underway, I suggest you get rid of Dr. Z and all those connected with him. We cannot allow him to interfere with this."

He then strode out.

"Who did he think he was?" Rex demanded. Dr. Ancient closed his eyes.

"Professor Edgar Ancient. My older brother and one of the most influential scientists in the world."

"That doesn't give him an excuse to blackmail and bully everyone!" Rex snarled.

"I hate to break it to you," Rod said, moving forward. "But he's always like that."

"Yeah," Laura nodded, looking upset. "He's the head of our school too – we go to the Sanjō international college, which is the umm…" she tried not to look too pleased with herself. "Number one school in the world for prodigies and geniuses."

A smile returned to Rex's face.

"It's understandable why you two attend then!" he said. They both blushed slightly.

* * *

"Zander, fetch the idle scisming welder!" Dr. Z ordered.

"Yes sir!"

"Ursula!" Dr. Z barked. "Turn on the septimizing octograph!"

"Right away!"

There was pause.

"WELL?" Dr. Z screamed. "What are you waiting for?"

"Erm…no disrespect doctor," Ursula mumbled. "But you're actually just making up gadgets as you go along…"

"Nonsense!" he snapped at them. "I'm doing everything by the book!"

"Yes…" Zander muttered. "A book which you wrote…"

"Are you questioning my omniscient authority?" Dr. Z hollered furiously.

"I would if I knew what that meant…" Ed replied miserably.

Dr. Z was about to throw a tantrum when the door slid open and Helga walked in.

"Doctor, you are behaving like an unruly child again!" she barked.

"Well, it's not my fault! These three insist I can't do anything right!"

"Well, if you want to play the blame game, keep the noise down!" Helga ordered. "You are disturbing the dinosaurs!"

"Since when where they small enough to-?"

Dr. Z was cut short when Chomp, Paris and Spiny dashed into the room, in their original small forms.

"HUH?" the doctor cried in shock.

"HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH?" The Alpha Gang added, collapsing to the floor as the three of them ran them over.

"They're back in their small forms?" Dr. Z gasped, picking up Spiny. "Is that even possible?"

Spiny bit his beard.

"WWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOWWWW, IT IS POSSIBLE!" Dr. Z screeched, dancing around estatically, with Spiny clinging on for dear life.

"Yes," Helga replied, who had watched this small episode without batting an eyelid. "They used the original stones to bring the dinosaurs back to their small form and will then use them to repair the Backlander."

"What…? But I thought the Backlander was…"

"They are going to the past," Helga explained. "They will repair the Pirates' ship with the Gel Jark."

Dr. Z's face fell.

"I'm guessing they want me to remain here," he growled.

"On the contrary, they requested you be their right-hand man," Helga replied.

Dr. Z's eyes shimmered with joy.

"YES!" he whooped. "It seems they now not to waste good talent!"

Little did he know, Edgar Ancient was passing and had heard every word.

* * *

Max knew it would probably do him good to pay attention to what Michelle was saying – if she caught him daydreaming, she'd give him detention, or worse, embark on the very long story of what happened to her when she had slacked at school. But he couldn't help it – he was watching Zoe. For some reason that Max could never understand, Michelle had insisted on sitting them apart! It was torture! He had to be near her every second of the day, or else terrible things would occur…

OK, Max Taylor, he told himself firmly. Stop it. You're being a creepy stalker and Zoe will never like you if you act like this – all you need to do is…

He was cut short from reprimanding himself when a boy leaned over Zoe's desk to talk to her.

"G'aa…ccc…" it was all Max could do to stop himself screaming in rage and horror. He was wishing that he still had a dinosaur with which to fend this nutter off, when Amy, who he hadn't even realised was sitting behind him whispered,

"Don't worry – he's only asking to borrow a pen!"

Max turned to see her smiling reassuringly.

"You mean…you know?" he demanded.

"Yeah," she nodded. "It's obvious."

Max grinned rather sheepishly.

"Look," Amy said. "If you want to go out with her – just ask her straight. She won't say no – she likes you enough. She's been your friend since childhood-"

"But," Max cut in. "Without the dinosaurs, we don't have that much in common anymore." He gestured to the front. "Apart from having to hear this old lady ramble on all day…"

"HEY!" Michelle yelled. "I HEARD THAT MAX TAYLOR! I AM NOT AN OLD LADY, AND-"

They were spared anymore screaming when the door opened to reveal an expressionless man in a dark suit.

"Hello," he said, not in the slightest bit interested in why Michelle looked as though she were about to turn a desk over. "Are Max Taylor and Zoe Drake in this class?"

Michelle pointed them out.

"Could I borrow them please?"

After permission from Michelle, Max and Zoe got to their feet and followed the man out the classroom, not saying anything, but exchanging a puzzled expression.

* * *

**And there you have it! Sorry its not as long as you hoped for, but I was on a roll as I was writing it, and I wanted to give you something before the dreaded block struck again. So, tell me what you think, about Edgar Ancient, about the dinosaurs, Max, Zoe, Amy, Michelle and this mysterious man, and as always, thanks for reading!**


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